Fierce clashes broke out in northern Shan State’s capital of Lashio on Tuesday night as anti-regime groups launched simultaneous attacks on junta military bases surrounding the city.
Residents said the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and allied groups are attacking at least five bases around Lashio town.
A spokesman for the MNDAA, a member of the tripartite Brotherhood Alliance, did not respond to a request for comment.
Six members of a family including two children were killed when their house was hit by a shell on Wednesday morning, according to residents.
The Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), another Brotherhood Alliance member, said
the family was killed when the junta bombarded civilian areas.
A TNLA spokesperson also didn’t respond immediately to a request for comment.
“Clashes are intensifying this afternoon,” a Lashio resident told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday.
“The junta has sent a Y12 aircraft from Lashio airport to the clash sites. Ground-to-ground 107mm rocket have hit a battalion headquarters and narrowly missed a residential ward.”
A video clip posted online shows a huge crater left by a blast at the Lashio golf course.
Another civilian was killed and two others injured when junta troops shelled Nampawng village, 40 kilometers south of Lashio town, according to the TNLA.
Junta bases in Lashio town have been bombarding villages in the area since clashes with the MNDAA erupted on Saturday.
All flights to the northern Shan capital were canceled on Wednesday amid the fighting.
The MNDAA said junta troops had advanced into its territory in the north of Lashio on Monday, prompting clashes that killed two resistance fighters and left three others wounded.
Junta forces have destroyed at least five bridges and roads leading to the capital Lashio since June 25, when the TNLA resumed Operation 1027 with simultaneous attacks on bases in Kyaukme, Nawnghkio and Mongmit townships in northern Shan and Mogoke and Madaya townships in northern Mandalay Region.
The renewed offensive is being aided by People’s Defense Force groups (PDFs) under the civilian National Unity Government (NUG).
The TNLA and allies have since captured Kyaukme and Nawnghkio towns and large parts of Mogoke, known as ruby town.
Fierce clashes were reported on Tuesday as TNLA-led forces continued their assault on Missile Battalion 606 based in Nawnghkio township and two more battalion bases in Kyaukme township.
The junta flew in 50 reinforcements and was using fighter jets, Y12 aircraft, an MI 35 helicopter gunship and artillery to defend the battalion HQ in Nawnghkio on Tuesday.
The Brotherhood Alliance of the TNLA, MNDAA and Rakhine-based Arakan Army (AA) launched Operation 1027 in October last year. The ethnic alliance seized several hundred junta frontline bases and military command centers, plus 24 battalion headquarters, around 20 towns, and vital trade routes with China before a truce was brokered in mid-January by China.
However, the TNLA resumed the operation on June 25 after repeated junta bombardments of TNLA territory in June killed both fighters and civilians.
As of Tuesday, the TNLA and PDFs had seized nearly 40 junta frontline bases including several battalion HQs and police stations while over 100 regime troops have surrendered in the renewed offensive.
